Insiders say UK national security adviser avoids limelight, but it found the ‘calm operator’ this week

In the topsy-turvy world in which Keir Starmer and his aides operate, the US putting the onus on Russia to agree to a truce with Ukraine marked a significant victory.

The proposed 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is the culmination of two weeks of high-wire negotiations involving Ukraine, the US, UK, France and Germany.

Lib Dem leader says PM should make public show of support for ally against ‘shocking attacks’ on its sovereignty

The leader of the UK’s Liberal Democrats has called on the prime minister to publicly support Canada and oppose the “shocking attacks” on Canadian sovereignty, as the Trump administration further escalates its global trade war against longstanding allies.

Ed Davey, who leads the third largest political party in the UK, has called on Keir Starmer to travel to Canada in a show of support to the nation’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, as the commonwealth nation faces a generational crisis under Trump’s tariff war and suggestions that the country might become the 51st US state.

The UK’s battle for access to encrypted services could define how companies are able to safeguard customer data in the future

Apple will challenge a UK government demand to access encrypted customer data at a high court hearing in London on Friday.

The appeal will be considered by the investigatory powers tribunal, which investigates claims the domestic intelligence services have acted unlawfully.

The Loess plateau was the most eroded place on Earth until China took action and reversed decades of damage from grazing and farming

It was one of China’s most ambitious environmental endeavours ever.

The Loess plateau, an area spanning more than 245,000 sq miles (640,000 sq km) across three provinces and parts of four others, supports about 100 million people. By the end of the 20th century, however, this land, once fertile and productive, was considered the most eroded place on Earth, according to a documentary by the ecologist John D Liu.

Dozens of activists, critics and asylum seekers are thought to have been abducted and sent home in the past year

The woman wearing a cap seemed suspicious to Maria Sarungi. She had walked into the spa in an affluent neighbourhood of Nairobi in January where Sarungi often spends her Sunday afternoons, stared at her and then immediately walked out.

Sarungi, a Tanzanian journalist and activist living in exile, shrugged it off and texted her husband that she would be home soon. But a few minutes later, after leaving the spa, her taxi was forced to a stop and she was dragged out, kicking and screaming, by a group of armed men. She was thrown into a black van and, as it sped through Nairobi’s streets and beyond, she felt sure she had become the latest victim of Kenya’s enforced deportations.

Trump has met a force he cannot control: people’s ability to parade their anger and distaste through consumer choice

What do you buy the richest man in the world? The answer, obviously, is the one thing that usually can’t be had for love nor money, and that’s pimping out the presidential office for advertising purposes.

Posing with Elon Musk beside a scarlet Tesla parked on the White House driveway, Donald Trump announced that he was buying one of his friend’s cars despite not being allowed to drive for security reasons because: “I just want people to know that you can’t be penalised for being a patriot.” The billionaire currently chainsawing his way through so many ordinary federal workers’ jobs had, he said indignantly, been unfairly treated by people who inexplicably now seem to have turned against his cars.

Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnist

When the Royal Ballet star snapped his achilles tendon during a performance in 2019, he feared for his future in dance. A new documentary charts his gruelling recovery

Debuting in the role of Romeo as a young dancer with the Royal Ballet in 2007 remains one of my all-time highs. Each time you step out to tackle the iconic repertory feels surreal and to perform on the Royal Opera House stage is the most extraordinary feeling.

That’s something I have regularly experienced since joining the company in 2004 until … Bang! In October 2019, alone on stage with 2,250 people watching, I took off for a jump and my achilles tendon snapped.

Perhaps you’re planning a weekend at the allotment. Or maybe your favourite thing about the garden centre is the tea and cake. However green your fingers, our styling editor has got you covered

Attendance of vice-president – who once disbelieved that people listened to classical music for pleasure – strikes sour note at Kennedy Center in light of Maga takeover

JD Vance, the US vice-president, was booed by the audience as he took his seat at a National Symphony Orchestra concert at Washington’s Kennedy Center on Thursday evening.

As the normal pre-concert announcements got under way, the vice-presidential party filed into the box tier. Booing and jeering erupted in the hall, drowning out the announcements, as Vance and his wife, Usha, took their seats.

What were these dinosaurs doing?

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Researchers told to respond within 48 hours to more than 30 questions, including on DEI, gender and climate

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The Trump administration has been accused of “blatant foreign interference” in Australia’s universities after researchers who receive US funding were asked to confirm they aligned with US government interests, including only recognising two genders.

The questionnaire, sent to university researchers over the past fortnight, seeks a response within 48 hours to more than 30 questions to support “program determinations”, according to a copy of the questionnaire seen by Guardian Australia. The questions relate to the priorities of the Trump administration, including whether the organisation receives funding from China, whether there are DEI elements, and whether the project is taking “appropriate measures” to defend against “gender ideology” in line with Trump’s executive order on gender.

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Cuttings of tree captured by John Constable being planted on restored Devon floodplain

Captured by John Constable in one of his most celebrated paintings, the black poplar tree was once as common as oak and beech in Britain.

Now the rarest and most threatened native species in the country, the National Trust is creating a living gene bank of the black poplar to ensure Constable’s The Hay Wain does not become a tribute to an extinct breed.

Baroness Sue Campbell joins Suzy Wrack and Sophie Downey to discuss her journey and her recent book, The Game Changer

On today’s podcast, Suzy Wrack and Sophie Downey sit down with Baroness Sue Campbell to talk about her new book, The Game Changer, and her remarkable career in sport. From kicking a ball around in the school playground to leading the transformation of women’s football as the FA’s Director of Women’s Football, Campbell shares the challenges and triumphs of her journey. She discusses her role in the London 2012 Olympics, the importance of grassroots development, and the impact of England’s historic Euro 2022 victory. Plus, Baroness Sue Campbell shares her thoughts on the future of the game and what still needs to be done to ensure lasting progress.

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Inspired by a Russian tycoon’s survival bunker, the pair’s post-apocalyptic tale takes in environmental collapse, our facades and delusions – and big ol’ show tunes

Time is short for the family at the heart of Joshua Oppenheimer’s new film. Mother, Father and their adult son eke out their days in an underground bunker with the walls decorated with priceless old masters, fine wine on the table and half a mile of bedrock above their heads. They gather each evening for formal dinners. They sing upbeat songs to keep the darkness at bay. “We thrive in our happily-ever-after,” they burble. “Together our future is bright.”

Time is similarly tight for the writer-director and his star when they beam in via video link from Berlin. It’s the last day of the film festival, a late scramble towards the finish line, and Oppenheimer and Tilda Swinton are each working to a separate stopwatch. Oppenheimer is scheduled to take part in a panel discussion; Swinton is booked on a plane out of town. Once Berlin is behind her, that is it, she is done. Hard deadline, clean slate. Her new life of freedom starts tomorrow, she says.

Headteachers’ conference to be told that rise in bullying, abuse and malicious use of deepfakes is being reported

Social media operators must be “brought to heel” for the misery and disruption they are causing to the lives of students, teachers and parents, according to a senior school leader.

Manny Botwe, the president of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), will tell the association’s annual conference that teachers are reporting increased bullying, abuse and the malicious use of “deepfakes” against pupils and staff through social media.

Satellite technology may help with the daunting task of monitoring violations along vast frontline

Ending a war is seldom straightforward. Even agreeing to a ceasefire comes with complications. Though Ukraine signed up to a 30-day ceasefire proposal after discussions with the US in Jeddah this week, the joint statement between the two does not begin to explain how a halt in fighting might be enforced.

“Monitoring has to begin immediately,” says John Foreman, a former British defence attache to Moscow and Kyiv. “If there’s meant to be a 30-day ceasefire, the big question is whether it is adhered to.” Given Russia has a record of violating ceasefires and peace agreements, a robust process is critical.

When China stopped receiving the world’s waste, Turkey became Europe’s recycling hotspot. The problem is, most plastics can’t be recycled. And what remains are toxic heaps of trash

By Alexander Clapp. Read by Philip Arditti

Delay in removing hereditaries from Lords illustrates how hard it will be to push through more significant changes

The only solid measure that Keir Starmer’s government has introduced to change the House of Lords is on its way to becoming law, but not without last-ditch resistance.

Labour’s manifesto promise to remove members of the House of Lords who vote in parliament’s second chamber by birthright was the most straightforward change. The limited measure, an overdue completion of the removal of hereditary peers that began 26 years ago, is a further illustration of the constitutional difficulties of reforming parliament’s second chamber.

This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Heather Boushey, an economist and former adviser to Joe Biden, about what Donald Trump’s long game is with his trade war, and how voters will view his handling of the economy should there be a ‘Trumpcession’

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• British No 1 defeats Ben Shelton 6-4 7-5 at BNP Paribas Open
• Draper meets two-time defending champion in last four in Indian Wells

Jack Draper has booked his place in an ATP Masters 1000 semi-final for the first time after defeating American Ben Shelton in straight sets at the BNP Paribas Open.

The British No 1 edged ahead in the race between two of the rising stars of men’s tennis with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Shelton, who was also out to reach the last four of a Masters event for the first time. Draper will next face two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz after the No 2 seed overcame Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 7-6 (4) in their quarter-final in Indian Wells on Thursday.

Lai Ching-te’s speech – which included a proposal to set up military courts – prompted an angry reaction from Beijing, which called him a ‘creator of crisis’

Taiwan’s new president has formally labelled China a “foreign hostile force” and ramped up national security measures in the face of growing threats and a string of spying cases.

The new measures announced on Thursday include a controversial proposal to restore a military court system in Taiwan, which was under martial law until the late 1980s.

Israeli Oscar-winner Yuval Abraham speaks out after Miami Beach mayor proposed evicting a local cinema for screening the Palestinian-focused documentary

The Israeli director of No Other Land has criticised a Florida mayor’s efforts to evict a local cinema after it screened his Oscar-winning documentary about Palestinian displacement in the West Bank, saying: “Banning a film only makes people more determined to see it.”

Steven Meiner, the mayor of Miami Beach, has issued a draft resolution calling for the termination of the city’s lease agreement with O Cinema, and withdrawing $40,000 in promised grant funding for the nonprofit that runs the independent cinema.

Judge says it is a ‘lie’ that employees at federal agencies had performance issues; Trump mulls EU alcohol tariff – key US politics stories from Thursday at a glance

A federal judge in California has granted a preliminary injunction to reinstate thousands of fired probationary workers at federal agencies as part of a lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Government Employees.

The ruling by the judge William H Alsup applies to fired probationary employees at the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior and the Department of the Treasury.

Dan Sabbagh reports on three Bulgarian nationals found guilty of spying for Russia in a string of plots around Europe

On Friday, three UK-based Bulgarian nationals accused of spying for Russia were found guilty of espionage charges at the Old Bailey in London.

“It begins with a simple request,” Dan Sabbagh, the Guardian’s defence and security editor, tells Michael Safi. “A request from one of the world’s most wanted men.”

The court will lay out allegations against the former Philippines president of crimes against humanity over his deadly war on drugs

Rodrigo Duterte is expected to make his first appearance at the international criminal court (ICC) on Friday, as the former Philippines president faces crimes against humanity charges over his deadly “war on drugs”.

The court said in a statement late on Thursday that it “considers it appropriate” for Duterte to appear Friday at 2pm local time (1pm GMT).

• Two-time Olympic champion to run in Australia for first time
• Race will make its World Marathon Major debut on 31 August

Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, perhaps the greatest runner in history, has declared he will run the Sydney Marathon in August in a huge boon to the event’s standing.

The 40-year-old maestro, back-to-back Olympic marathon champion in 2016 and 2020 and the only runner ever to record an unofficial sub two-hour time in the event, says he’s excited to be competing in the first year that the Sydney race has been designated a World Marathon Major.

Document described as interim national security guidance calls on US military to create options

The Trump administration has called on the Pentagon to provide military options to ensure the country has full access to the Panama canal, two US officials told Reuters on Thursday.

Donald Trump has said repeatedly he wants to “take back” the Panama canal, which is located at the narrowest part of the isthmus between North and South America and is considered one of the world’s most strategically important waterways, but he has not offered specifics about how he would do so, or if military action might be required.

Montana-based hunting influencer flies out of Australia on Friday after home affairs minister said he couldn’t ‘wait to see the back of this individual’

A US hunting influencer who caused outrage in Australia after grabbing a baby wombat from its mother has left the country after the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said immigration authorities were checking if she had breached the conditions of her visa.

A government source told the Guardian that Montana-based Sam Jones left the country on Friday morning.

Moscow offers heavily qualified support for US-Ukraine proposal as Russia regains more of Kursk region

James Edward Oakley, 58-year-old man living in Vallejo, was crushed by piece of excavating equipment last year

New details have emerged in the death of a northern California man who was killed by a piece of excavating equipment during a city sweep of what officials have referred to as an illegal dumping site.

James Edward Oakley, a 58-year-old man who lived on the streets of Vallejo, was found dead at the site in the city last Christmas eve.

• Northern Irishman round in 67 after clash with spectator
• Glover, Spaun and Villegas lead the way at Sawgrass

Rory McIlroy opted to let his golf clubs do the talking. A wondrous approach to the 18th, setting up a birdie for an opening round of 67, emphasised the Northern Irishman’s ability to create his own storyline.

Social media descended into typical frenzy in the buildup to this Players Championship after McIlroy was heckled by an aspiring golfer during a practice round at Sawgrass. Video footage showed McIlroy removing the intemperate spectator’s mobile phone beside the 17th tee before the individual in question was ejected by security.

There was always the sense that, despite the two-goal advantage Rangers had amassed in Istanbul, the second leg of this tie would not pass quietly. It finally ended with Barry Ferguson’s players bouncing up and down in front of the Copland Road stand while José Mourinho, who had worn a face as ashen as his all-grey outfit as Fenerbahce fluffed their lines from the spot, led his to perform mea culpas 100 metres away. The night had swung in multiple directions but, over their week’s work, Rangers deserved their shot at toppling Athletic Bilbao in the last eight.

Mourinho could only watch as Fenerbahce, having levelled the tie up and brought on the cavalry, failed to put Rangers away in the final 50 minutes. He would surely have expected more from Dusan Tadic and Fred, both of whom saw Jack Butland make tremendous saves, in the shoot-out; when Mert Hakan Yandas spooned the final penalty over it was party time for the home support, a miss from Ianis Hagi amongst it all rendered entirely irrelevant.

Manchester United kept their trophy hopes alive with a swaggering display that battered Real Sociedad and must be the Ruben Amorim blueprint.

From the moment they fell behind early on, his side were electrified, as if finally locating the high-voltage socket under him and gleefully plugging themselves in. United came at Real Sociedad relentlessly, a whir of energy and creativity that is the best advertisement yet for where their head coach might take them.

Five-year transition period declared along with rights for women, freedom of expression and justice for Assad victims

Syria’s leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has hailed the start of a “new history” for his country, after signing into force a constitutional declaration regulating its five-year transitional period and laying out rights for women and freedom of expression.

The declaration comes three months after Islamist-led rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad’s repressive government, leading to calls for an inclusive new Syria that respects rights.

Grijalva, who backed environmental causes during 12 terms in Congress, dies from cancer treatment complications

Democratic US representative Raúl M Grijalva of Arizona, who championed environmental protection during his 12 terms in Congress, died on Thursday of complications from cancer treatments, his office said.

Grijalva, who was 77, had risen to chair the US House natural resources committee and was the top Democrat on the committee until earlier this year. He had been absent from Congress as he underwent cancer treatment in recent months.

‘We don’t want to be Americans. We don’t want to be Danes. We want to be Greenlanders,’ says Jens-Frederik Nielsen

Greenland’s probable new prime minister has rejected Donald Trump’s effort to take control of the island, saying Greenlanders must be allowed to decide their own future as it moves toward independence from Denmark.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, whose centre-right Democrats won a surprise victory in this week’s legislative elections and now must form a coalition government, pushed back on Thursday against Trump’s repeated claims that the US will annex the island.

Nineteen people died in the Mariana disaster, prompting a claim of up to £36bn claim against the mining firm BHP

With tears in their eyes, mothers of children who died in Brazil’s worst environmental disaster – the 2015 Mariana dam collapse – demanded justice for their loved ones as submissions in their London lawsuit came to an end on Thursday.

Nineteen people were killed when the Mariana dam in south-eastern Brazil collapsed and unleashed a wave of toxic sludge, leaving thousands homeless, flooding forests and polluting the Doce River.

• Updates from a finely-poised last-16 tie (agg 1-1, 8pm KO)
• Get in touch! Email Daniel | Live scores

It’s big night tonight for Højlund. He’s improved a bit in the last couple of games – he’s getting chances and missing them, rather than disappearing – and has done well in Europe since joining United. I think Amorim has him pegged, as it goes:

“We have to look at Rasmus as a player – he has the pace, he has the technique, he’s scored some goals that are really hard to score. Sometimes he doesn’t choose the better run, sometimes he’s so anxious to touch the ball and he moves away from the goal. We address that in training but sometimes it is the confidence of the player.”

• Updates from the second leg (agg 0-1, 8pm kick-off)
• Also news from Rangers v Fenerbahçe and Chelsea v Copenhagen
• Get in touch! Email Scott | Live scores

Chelsea make five changes to the team that started in Denmark last week. Filip Jørgensen replaces Robert Sánchez in goal, while Pedro Neto, Enzo Fernández, Jadon Sancho and Joshua Acheampong also step up. Sánchez drops to the bench, as do Shumaira Mheuka, Cole Palmer and Reece James, the latter pair having been ill all week. Malo Gusto misses out altogether through injury.

Copenhagen make two changes from that game. Mohamed Elyounoussi, once of Southampton, and Rodrigo Huecas come in, while Giorgi Gocholeishvili and Amin Chiakha are benched.

A gay couple are trapped in a haunted Airbnb with their parents in an initially amusing but progressively exasperating genre mishmash

Writer-director Craig Johnson broke out with 2014’s spiky comedy drama The Skeleton Twins, a film that hit familiar Sundance indie beats but hit them better than most. He has struggled a little since, from annoying Woody Harrelson-led comedy Wilson to ho-hum gay high school romance Alex Strangelove, and so one can understand why Johnson might feel like a big swing in a different direction might make most sense.

It has led him to a script by Saturday Night Live writer Kent Sublette called The Parenting, a throwback supernatural comedy horror that tries to remind us of a time when these rambunctious concoctions were far more common. Think Beetlejuice in the 80s or The Frighteners in the 90s or the deeply underrated Housebound more recently, a high-energy rush of scares and laughs that should feel effortless but too often doesn’t, the difficulty of such a balance perhaps serving to explain why so few are made these days. It might also explain why backers New Line didn’t quite know what to do with this one, the film gathering dust on the shelf for almost three years and now landing on Max with a suitably concerning trailer released less than two weeks prior.